I Became the Martial God's Youngest Disciple Episode 157

Episode 157

"While arcane studies have languished for centuries,the dessert industry has flourished. Just look at this flawless balance between crispness and moisture. Achieving such contrast is as difficult as blending opposing elents. It's a masterful feat," Lise said cheerfully. "And this curious texture that appears now and then... Ah, peanuts. A subtle nutty flavor woven into the sweetness. The pastry chef who made this cookie must be soone of rare brilliance and artistry."

She polished off the rest of the cookies in a flash, then turned to with a contented smile. Wilting under her expectant gaze, I muttered, "I'll bring more next ti."

"You are a mage's truest friend. A companion for life," she declared.

I couldn't bring myself to ntion that it was a leftover bag, so I changed the subject. "Can I ask you another question?"

"Before that, explain what's going on. Be specific. Where exactly did you see this demon script and those magic circles?" she asked.

"At Cartel Academy."

Lise tilted her head. "Cartel Academy? It must be an educational institution in the capital."

"That's right. So what happened was..." I gave her the most concise summary I could of everything going on at Cartel Academy.

When I finished, Lise looked intrigued. "It's obvious the empire's influence has withered over the years. A demon king descended in the heart of the capital. Though, to be fair, this isn't a full descent. It's only possible because it's Hadenaihar, the ruler of the Otherworld. Turning an entire academy into a demon's den? Now that sounds like fun. Ahaha. What a delightful turn of events."

Judging by her reaction, I doubted I could expect much help from the main family through her.

"By the way," I said, "I used that magic tool you gave to reach you. I'm worried the dean's puppet might notice."

Lise chuckled at my words. "A puppet can never be a perfect imitation. The higher the original's quality, the harder it is to reproduce. So mories will always be missing. An Archmage's puppet likely lacks half of the original's true power."

"It makes sense." I had assud it was so kind of all-purpose copy, but clearly it had more weaknesses than I realized. Of course it did. No puppet that sophisticated could co without limitations.

"Still, even a skilled Archmage wouldn't see through a magic tool I crafted," she boasted. "You don't need to worry too much."

That was sowhat reassuring. If only her personality were a little easier to handle, she would've made the perfect ally. Well, no one could be good at everything.

"In any case," she went on, "this is turning into quite the entertaining situation. So, your goal is to enter the Otherworld directly and defeat the demon king."

"For now, yes."

"Very well. I suppose I can share a few things." Lise let out a low chuckle. "The magic circle you showed symbolizes the formation and stability of the Otherworld. It also governs the enforcent of its laws. Once you step into Hadenaihar's territory, you'll be bound to its rules."

"What happens if I break them?"

"You'll be trapped there forever. Your body will belong to the world of the blood moon, and your soul will suffer eternal tornt in the demon king's hands. Not even death will set you free," she answered.

The mont I heard that voice, Alec ca to mind—the sa voice that had once prayed for the death of the expedition team sent to Spirit Mountain.

Not even death will set you free, I repeated Lise's words inwardly.

The image of the Green-Tongued Demon King, Tantata, tossing Juan's skull like a ball flashed before . Despite my resentnt toward Juan, I felt more pity than satisfaction.

Then a thought struck . Perhaps it was a blessing that Juan died back then.

Lise glanced at the note and continued, "What's written in the demonic language are the rules of the Otherworld. I'll tell you once, so morize them."

Did eating sweets improve her mood?

She explained in a soft hum, "First, if the puppet catches you, it's over. Second, don't leave the restricted area. Third, the only way to win is to find the person in charge of the ritual and defeat the demon king. Hmm, the rules are simpler than I expected."

I considered her words and asked, "If beating the person in charge of the ritual is what matters, then why bother entering the Otherworld at all?"

"There's no point in killing the organizer outside. The demon king's power won't grow, but the demon king won't disappear either. In fact, he might go berserk for reasons no one understands," Lise replied.

It matched what Evan had said. At least, it ant he hadn't lied about defeating the demon king. For now, I don't have to worry about him betraying at the academy, though I still can't fully trust him.

Then Lise said, "I'll give you a piece of advice."

"What is it?"

"Run away." She laughed softly. "Everyone who learns the rules clings to hope at first. Maybe I can win. Maybe I can survive. It's like brainwashing. They don't realize that it's all just a ga for the demon king's amusent. The deeper you get, the more obvious it becos. From the start, Hadenaihar's ga is rigged so no one can win."

She reached out to . "Of course, even if it's just a puppet, it's still an Archmage's clone. You can't fool it or escape easily. But that won't be hard for , Lise Ladygoth."

Her words reminded of sothing similar—back at the first training camp, when I'd t Assad. I laughed under my breath. This felt a little like that mont. The difference was that now the threat wasn't the Black Swamp Demon King, but the Blood Moon Demon King. And the advice ca from Lise instead of Assad.

Still, I couldn't say no outright like I had back then. Once I left the academy, I could seek help from outside. What if I call the Iron-Blooded Lord, for example?

Of course, he was the busiest man on the continent, but this was a demon king we were facing. He would likely respond imdiately.

I asked, "How can I escape?"

"It's not difficult. Stay here for six days until the demon king truly descends."

Her unexpected answer left numb. "What does that...?"

"The mont the demon king descends, everyone trapped in the Otherworld will be offered as sacrifices. At least half the people in the academy will be taken. Those lucky enough to survive will be implanted with the Seed of Evil," she answered.

"What is the Seed of Evil?"

"It's the instinct of darkness. It can sprout at any ti. Once it blooms, a person will strangle the ones they love, destroy what they once cherished, and feel endless hatred for their own parents or children," Lise elaborated. "If you stay here, you'll be free from that influence. Once it's over, you can leave the academy and leave the cleanup to the Imperial Knights, the Archmages, or Delac. If it involves a demon king, Delac will cross the entire continent to get here."

Her words echoed my own thoughts, but I didn't say anything. Lise regarded with puzzlent.

"More than two hundred people at the academy have already been replaced by puppets," I said.

"You ntioned that."

"I assud that ant they'd already been sacrificed. But from what you're saying, that's not the case."

Lise let out a soft laugh. "Those who've been replaced are still trapped in the Otherworld. They must be clinging to fleeting hope, trembling in fear, longing for a sunrise that will never co beneath the blood moon."

"Then they can still be saved, can't they?"

"Do you want to save them?"

"If I can, I should."

Lise snorted. ""And how do you plan to do that? By stepping into a demon king's ga with no chance of winning? Are you so kind of fool eager to walk into hell? Those people are as good as dead. Throwing yourself into the sea for soone already swallowed by the storm isn't kindness. It's a matter of intelligence. That's not a rescue—it's suicide."

Her gaze settled on . For once, her bewitching purple eyes held none of their usual wickedness. Instead, they shimred with sothing quieter, a curious glint that resembled starlight.

"Luan Badniker, before I scold you, I want to ask one thing." She looked at as if facing sothing unfamiliar, sothing she had never encountered before. "Are you a good person?"

***

I left the underground library and Lise behind without refusing her suggestion. As we had been talking, a strange restlessness had settled in my mind. Whenever that happened, I needed to sort out my thoughts alone. A quiet place would help face my inner self.

Fortunately, the warehouse was calm and silent. Moonlight filtered through the windows, casting a tranquil glow. I sat on a box and started to reflect.

Cartel Academy... To , it was never a place of learning. It felt like a fog-shrouded labyrinth of intrigue. From the mont I stepped inside, discomfort clung to —Seren Goodspring, the two imperial family mbers, Alec, Spirit Mountain, the ghost story, the demon king, the Young Dark Pope Evan, the vast conspiracy I uncovered along the way, and the puppet who had replaced Alderson.

I had been under the impression I had been watching from a distance, but before I realized it, the current had swept away. I drifted aimlessly through days where confusion outweighed helplessness.

At last, the fog lifted. I couldn't stop myself from laughing when the monster finally revealed its true form. There was a saying that ignorance was bliss, and in my case, it couldn't have been more accurate. I would have preferred not to know. I didn't want the knowledge that 200 innocent students were still alive, still trapped and suffering in the Otherworld.

It is a vile thought. I burst out laughing.

"Are you a good person?" The answer was no.

Lise didn't understand at all. There were genuinely kind people in the world. For example, Seren who had joined the Badnikers' training camp to rescue hero disciples she barely knew.

I was different from Seren. I could never be like her. Still, that did not make a bad person.

I am a relatively conscientious person. That was how I judged myself.

I drew the Seven Sins Sword. Its rough, black blade absorbed the moonlight instead of reflecting it. For a mont, I felt my gaze lock with the eyes of the Martial God I had never seen before.

"I'm sure you heard everything," I said.

—That's right.

"Am I making a reckless choice?"

—It's hard to argue otherwise. No matter how many lives you have, it won't be enough. No one would bla you for running. At your age, looking ahead is the sensible choice. But that's not what you want, is it?

The Martial God's words made laugh.

—Don't do anything you don't want to do.

It wasn't comforting or encouraging, but I liked his honesty. "Will you join ?"

The Martial God laughed.

—A world where the moon never sets. In other words, a world where the sun never rises. How terrified those poor, fragile children must be. How many nights have they spent in fear?

—Perhaps they've stopped hoping for dawn. Perhaps they've forgotten what sunlight feels like. But the darker the world becos, the more it needs a sunrise. Soone has to prove that the sun still rises. I will join you, ssenger.

I stood up at his words.

—If you walk down the path of hell, I will accompany you.

I was about to leave the warehouse when a faint streak of light spilled through the window. Just before stepping out, I blinked to adjust to the unusually dazzling first light of the day. The sun had risen.